


How The Rows Join Rank

by dysphoriccanada



Series: Crowded Caves, Family Faves [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Cullen?? The sweetest kid ever, Other, basically Damian adopted these two before bruce even blinked and then they were actually adopted, dr. thompkins is so tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 10:39:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15265710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dysphoriccanada/pseuds/dysphoriccanada
Summary: Damian Wayne-Kyle-al Ghul has grown used to the patterns.During the day, he gives in and goes to school, with his friend Jon Kent, the Superboy. On the weekends, and most holidays, Damian, Jon, and Colin (who has gone by Abuse for three years now) team up to do the little things that the Justice League trusts them with.And every given moment he can, Damian is Shadow. The partner to Batman, the 5’4½ mini-bat who trails after the big guy to all the bad guys horror.You could maybe infer that without Nightwing and Flamebird around to keep the boy a child anymore, he’d kind of gone in on himself.But then the pattern was broken, on three separate nights, by the same girl (and her brother).





	How The Rows Join Rank

**Author's Note:**

> ((ages change because they take place at different times))  
> Terry: 21 - 22 - 23  
> Helena: 20 - 21 - 22  
> Damian: 14 - 15 -16  
> Harper: 12 - 13 - 14  
> Cullen: 10 - 11 - 12
> 
> heads up this isn't edited

After four years of being Shadow, Damian Wayne-Kyle-al Ghul has grown used to the patterns of it all.

During the day, he gives in and goes to school, with his friend Jon Kent, the Superboy. On the weekends, and most holidays, Damian, Jon, and Colin (who has gone by Abuse for three years now) team up to do the little things that the Justice League trusts them with.

And every given moment he can, Damian is Shadow. The partner to Batman, the 5’4½ mini-bat who trails after the big guy to all the bad guys horror. Riddler had once called him the Nightmare Ninja, and almost lost a hand.

You could maybe infer that without Nightwing and Flamebird around to keep the boy a child anymore, he’d kind of gone in on himself.

Not that Damian didn’t see his siblings anymore, no. In fact every other weekend, Damian was at Terry and Helena’s apartment to stay the night and trail Nightwing and Flamebird as Shadow.

But then the pattern was broken, on three separate nights, by the same girl (and her brother).

\---

The first night, it’s when Damian is Shadow. He’s patrolling the Narrows alone, Batman having insisted on taking the Sirens on by himself that night. Basically, Shadow was kicked away for a few hours so Batman, Catwoman, Ivy, and Harley, could have their weird double date that Terry tried explaining to Damian countless times. He still didn’t understand, even if he was fourteen.

Distinct shouting in the distance catches his attention. A fight. Shadow smirks, swooping to action.

On the ground, is a boy that couldn’t be more than ten. Around him, a group of boys are Shadow’s age, kicking and yelling at him. Shadow sees red, silently coming up behind them and forcing one of the boys, who seems to be the leader, away. The others, having realized who was pulling away their friend, blanch, skidding away. 

“How many times do people have to be told to pick on someone their own size?” Shadow asks, deadpan. “Really, It’s such a damn cliche, even Nightwing won’t say it. That’s how bad you are.” The boy, who he’s holding by the collar thrashes wildly. 

“What are you gonna do about it?” He sneers. “You’re just a bat brat.” Shadow looks down at him, his face obscured by shadows. The boy gulps.

“And you’re just an asshole.” Shadow throws him to the ground. “Get the hell out of here. All of you! And if I ever catch you being complete dicks again, I’ll make you sorry.” The boys all scatter, and when it’s clear Shadow approaches the child on the ground.

“Are you okay?” He asks lightly. The boy, bloody and bruised, looks up at him and nods, wincing at the neck movement. “I’m going to help you home. Do you live around here?” He nods again. “Okay. I’m going to pick you up, ready? One, two…” 

The boy cries out as he’s lifted into Shadow’s arms. Shadow hushes him, scanning for injuries.

“I may have to take you to the hospital instead. I’m sorry, but I’ll wait with you until family can come.” The boy, understanding how much pain he’s in, nods defeated. Shadow presses the comm in his ear.

“Agent A, it’s Shadow. Do you have my location?” The earpiece crackles before A answers.

“I do, Shadow. Might I ask why?”

“I need to know the quickest route to Thompkins from my position, I have an injured boy with me.”

“I’m sending coordinates to your domino’s scanner. Do be careful, sir.”

“Of course, A, when am I not?”

“You’re beginning to sound like your brother, sir. I advise you follow your sister instead for a while.”

Shadow laughed, already en route to the clinic. The boy in his arms mumbled something that Shadow didn’t catch. He let it be, until he got to the clinic.

In her office, Dr. Thompkins is doing some late night filing. She doesn’t hear the hero come in, but she’s grown used to the feeling of their presence. She sighs, turning in her chair. Then gasps as she takes in the boy he’s carrying.

“Get him on the table.” Leslie snaps, and Shadow is quick to obey. “What’s his name?”

“Didn’t have time to ask, but some of the blood that got on my suit was scanned by A. His name is Cullen Row, he lives with his sister and father. I found him near the Narrows, so they can’t live far from there. Flamebird was on patrol tonight and heard our conversation, so she’s on her way to find the sister and bring her here.” Leslie, in the middle of treating Cullen arches an eyebrow.

“She’s coming all the way from Bludhaven?” Shadow shrugs.

“She could imagine how it would feel.” Leslie nods, understanding.

In the next twenty minutes, Cullen is still passed out on the cot, and Flamebird is opening the door the clinic.

“He’s in Thompkins office.” She’s say to a dark haired girl, who rushes into the room. Shadow watches.

“Cullen!” She gasps, taking in his injuries, bandages, and stitches. “Where did you find him?” She turns to Shadow. 

“The Narrows. A group of boys had him. I got him here as quick as I could.”

The girl, unexpectedly, rushes forward and hugs Shadow tighter than he’d ever been hugged,

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” She near shouts in his ear. Shadow baulks, patting her head awkwardly. She pulls away, then turns to Cullen and softly drapes herself across his stomach. “Please wake up Cullen. We gotta get back before dad gets home.” She whispers.

“I don’t advise moving him anytime soon.” Dr. Thompkins tells her. “You two can stay here tonight, and in the morning I will drive you home.” The girl sighs, but nods.

In the meantime, Shadow and Flamebird leave.

They finish half the patrol together, before parting ways and promising to meet again in a few days.

\---

The second time, is at a gala, a year later. Damian stands with Terry and Helena, avoiding the annoying socialites, but talking when they have to. Their parents are somewhere among the crowd, entertaining guests.

“What’s tonight for again?” Terry asks for the millionth time. Damian sighs in his fifteen-year-old glory, while Helena laughs.

“Revitalization project.” She tells her brother. “Dad’s fixing up the Narrows.” Someone snorts behind them. The three siblings, who were standing beside the dessert table, turn to see a young girl with chopped hair, laughing into a bite of cake. When she notices their staring, she blushes.

“Sorry just... I live in the Narrows. It’s not really ‘fixing it up’ when I’m going to be homeless in a few months.” The girl explains herself. Damian raises an eyebrow at her.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude, but how are you here if you’re so close to being homeless?” He questions her. Helena whips around and smacks his arm.

“Damian!” She hiss. “You cannot say that, I raised you better.”

“First of all, you didn’t raise me. Second of all, I just mean that if she has money to purchase a ticket for our father’s gala, she probably has money to put a downpayment on a new place, if she’s so worried about losing her home.” Damian says. “Which, by the way, won’t happen.”

The girl rolls her eyes. “I didn’t buy the ticket.” She says. “It was gifted to me by my landlady. I was going to sell it, but my brother insisted I came.” Helena nods.

“Sounds like a little brother thing to do.” The older girl agrees. Damian glared at her.

“I convinced you to go to a party behind mother’s back once, when I was eleven, sorry I tried to be nice, once.” He muttered. “Either way, if you’re so stressed about having no living arrangement, you should talk to our father.” All three turn to him in surprise.

“Sorry what?” The girl squeaks.

“Yeah, bud, I don’t know if that’s…” Terry fumbles. “Like.. It’s dad.”

“He’s already on his way over here, you might as well.” Damian shrugs, staring at the girl. Her eyes widen and she whips around. Sure enough, sauntering toward them with his wife on his arm, is Bruce Wayne.

“Holyshit.” She breathes. “Holy, shit.” Damian rolls his eyes and sighs.

“I’m going to go see if Jon and Collin are here. Helena and Terry will introduce you.” He says, waving a hand and walking away.

He hates gala’s. But at least for a moment there was something interesting.

\---

The third time he meets her, is when he’s sixteen, and she’s standing in the entrance way with blue hair, and a remarkably familiar boy.

“Father. Mother. Alfred.” Damian greets slowly. “...Two child strangers.” Selina huffs a laugh and ruffles his hair.

“Kitten, why don’t you show Harper and Cullen to the living room. We’ll be there in a moment.” Damian squints his eyes at his mother.

“I know that line. Why would you use that line?” Damian asks her. She smiles. He sighs.

“Follow me.” He waves on, defeated. “The living room is this way.” The two follow him.

“Just for the record,” The girl, Harper, speaks up. “I’m not a child. I’m fourteen. Almost fifteen.”

“And I’m sixteen, almost seventeen, so to me, that’s a child.” He smirks.

“I’m a child.” Cullen smiles. Damian nods.

“See, he gets it.”

“He’s eleven and a sweetie, of course he’s gonna get anything you say.” Harper groans. Damian snorts, and pushes open the oak doors.

“We’re here. Sit anywhere-.”

“THIS PLACE IS HUGE!” Cullen squeals, running into the room. Damian stares at him.

“...Yes. Everything is, huge, in the manor.” He says. Harper snorts. “What?”

“Oh this is probably the best day of his life. That’s all.” She turns to him. “Thanks for introducing me to your dad by the way.”

“I didn’t-.”

“What are you three doing?” Selina asks, walking into the room. Cullen stops jumping on couches, and sits, folding his hands in his lap. Harper sits down beside him, and Damian turns to Selina.

“Nothing really. But I would like to be informed as to what’s happening.” 

“Harper and Cullen will be staying with us for a while.” Bruce says, walking into the room, Alfred beside him. Damian raises an eyebrow. “Their living situation is… Not one they should be in.” Bruce avoids the details, as he always has. Damian sighs.

“Why here though? I mean, no offense,” He turns to the siblings. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t be in warm, well meaning home. I just mean how out of the thousands of homes in Gotham, you’ve ended up in my father’s.”

Harper shrugs. “Beats me. But I’m not gonna deny a billionaire willing to put a roof over my brother’s head.” Cullen blushes. Damian hums.

“I suppose that’s fair.” He concedes. “Where will they be sleeping?” Selina smiles.

“For now, there’s an empty room beside Helena’s old one.” Selina says. “It was her’s and Terry’s when they were children, so there’s two beds. Just for a few days, in the meantime we’re going to be cleaning out two of the old spare bedrooms across the hall from yours and Terry’s.” The Row’s nod.

“That sounds alright.” Harper shrugs. Damian, sensing that the two are beginning to feel tired, turns to them.

“I can show you to the room.” He says quietly. The two nod, and stand. He leads them out of the living room, and to the stairs. It’s quiet for a while, until he decides to speak up.

“I’m not going to ask why you’re here. Not for details.” He tells them. They stare at him. “I.. I understand if that’s personal. Just know that, until you’re comfortable, or even if you never are, you’re welcome to come and talk to me. I’m not the greatest at conversation, but I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

“Thank you.” Harper whispers. Damian turns away and clears your throat.

“This is your room. Alfred will probably have dinner ready around six, so if you just want to nap and settle in until then.. We’d understand.”

The two nod and he walks away. From down the hall, Damian can hear Cullen squealing to his sister about how ‘fun it will be to have an older brother’.

Damian smiles.

\---

It takes two weeks for Damian’s life to be a pattern again.

During the day, he gives in happily and goes to school, knowing his best friends Jon Kent, and Colin will be there to catch him when he falls. On the weekend, and most holidays, the three take on whatever covert mission the League throws at them.

On nights he can spare, Damian is Shadow. The partner to Batman, the 5’5 mini-bat who trails after the big guy to all the bad guys horror, and sometimes the good guys too.

You could maybe infer that without Nightwing and Flamebird around to keep the boy a child anymore, he’d kind of gone in on himself. But now he was sixteen, and was relearning to come out of his shell, with or without his older siblings.

Not that Damian didn’t see his siblings anymore, no. In fact every other weekend, Damian was at Terry and Helena’s apartment to stay the night and trail Nightwing and Flamebird as Shadow.

Not to mention, his two new younger siblings, who he lived with, and swore to train with.

As soon as Batman gave the okay, that is.


End file.
